"AD is a huge part of this problem" - Chris Broussard holds Anthony Davis responsible for LA Lakers' woes, claims they are a "contender" when he is fit
NBA and LA Lakers superstar Anthony Davis and the woeful season he is currently enduring has come under immense criticism this campaign.
On Fox Sports' morning show First Things First, Chris Broussard spoke about how Anthony Davis is part of the problem and that his unavailability is one of the reasons why the Lakers are struggling to make a play-in spot at the moment. Broussard said:
"AD is a huge part of this problem. AD has not lived up to his end of the bargain. They're a contender, I believe, with a healthy AD and that's why it is a huge part of the problem."
Davis' unavailability and tendency to pick up injuries has been the most frustrating part of the season for the Lakers as the franchise is built top-heavy and will rely on the availability of the likes of Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook to win games.
Anthony Davis has played only 39 games thus far this season and even if he does play the final four games of the season, he will have missed nearly 40 games in this campaign.
Is health the biggest reason the Lakers struggled this season?
"AD is a huge part of this problem. He has not lived up to his end of the bargain. They're a contender with a healthy AD."
— @Chris_Broussard https://t.co/sTUMRkqFfS
Should the LA Lakers trade their superstars?
The LA Lakers (31-47) have endured a tumultuous campaign. The difficulties have led to reports of unrest between superstar LeBron James and the Lakers front office, including general manager Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers pursued Russell Westbrook over Buddy Hield in the summer due to explicit instructions from "King James," who wanted to play alongside Westbrook. The move has backfired as "Mr. Triple Double's" performances have been shockingly poor as he has failed to establish chemistry with James and has leaked turnovers.
LeBron James has also been involved in a power struggle with Pelinka and the team's hierarchy. Many reports said the superstar might be interested in a move back to his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. The idea is that he may stand a better chance at winning a championship with them than the LA Lakers.
Anthony Davis, on the other hand, has missed a huge chunk of games due to knee and ankle injuries. The former Pelicans star has a history of being injury-prone, and the Lakers' management and fans' patience seems to be running thin with Davis and his unavailability.
Russell Westbrook is on a massive contract but has only one year left on his deal, which might enable teams such as the Indiana Pacers and the OKC Thunder, who are not competing for championships, to take him on.
All these reasons have led to speculations about the LA Lakers trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis. While there will be no shortage of suitors, these talks must be reserved for the summer, not a couple of weeks before the regular season ends.
If the LA Lakers are serious about trading them, they will need to head into a proper rebuild. If they do, they will need to assemble from scratch or make sure they get All-Star players in return, if not MVP-caliber stars.